Residents can learn watercolor, make mocktails, paint mini figures and create holiday cards in Utica and Rome. Explore MVCC’s Fall Workshop Series in Utica and Rome.
MVCC fall workshops will give Mohawk Valley residents a low-cost way to learn creative skills and bring home a finished project. Mohawk Valley Community College announced seven hands-on workshop topics for its Utica and Rome campuses, beginning Sept. 24 and continuing through Dec. 2.
MVCC fall workshops open college doors
The series is open to the public, not only enrolled students. Most events cost between $10 and $25 for general admission. Several are free for MVCC students, and some offer reduced prices for college employees.
Explore MVCC’s Fall Workshop Series in Utica and Rome.
That combination of short sessions, modest prices and two campus locations makes the program accessible to people who may want a creative evening without enrolling in a full course. Tickets are available through the MVCC Box Office.
The college’s first workshop, Puff Pastry at the Rome Campus on Sept. 24, is already sold out. The remaining schedule offers visual art, wellness, seasonal decorating and tabletop-inspired activities.
Full workshop schedule
Watercolor Bookmarks
The first available session is scheduled for 5 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 7, in Academic Building room 161 at the Utica Campus. Art instructor Andie Alban will demonstrate basic watercolor techniques before participants make bookmarks to take home. General admission is $10, while MVCC students attend free.
Mindful Mocktails
Mindful Mocktails: Sip Into Fall Wellness begins at 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 22, in the Rome Campus Dining Hall. The Mindful Mixer will guide participants through an apple mocktail and discuss its ingredients through the five senses. Tickets cost $20 for the public, $15 for employees and are free for students.
Fall Home Sign
Also at 6 p.m. Oct. 22, The Thirsty Painters will lead a home-sign workshop in Wilcox Hall room 225 at the Utica Campus. Participants can select a color, phrase and floral decorations. Tickets are limited and cost $25 for the public, $20 for employees and are free for students.
Mini Figure Painting
At 4:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 5, participants will learn how art professor Josh Piejko sculpted MVCC mascot Mo Hawk as a fantasy warrior. Guests will then paint a 3D-printed mini figure. The session is in Academic Building room 280 in Utica. General admission is $15 and students attend free.
Cocoa and Cards
Songbyrd Street Studios will lead holiday watercolor-card workshops at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 17, in the Rome Campus Dining Hall and at 6 p.m. Monday, Nov. 23, in Wilcox Hall room 225 in Utica. Tickets are limited and cost $20 for the public or $15 for MVCC employees.
Photogram
The final announced session starts at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 2, in Academic Building room 273 in Utica. School of Art Dean Todd Behrendt will explain the photogram process, a camera-free method that uses light and photosensitive material, and help participants create one. General tickets are $10 and student admission is free.
Why these programs matter locally
Community colleges are often described through degrees, job training and transfer programs. Those roles matter, but a public college also serves as a shared civic space. A workshop can introduce a resident to a campus, connect neighbors with local artists and give students a relaxed place to participate outside the classroom.
The series also brings activity to both Utica and Rome. That regional balance is valuable in Oneida County, where travel time and transportation can determine whether someone can attend an evening event.
Short creative programs may also help people try something unfamiliar without a large commitment. A participant can learn a basic technique, meet an instructor and decide whether to pursue the activity further.
Planning before buying a ticket
Residents should confirm availability before traveling. The pastry event is sold out, and the college says tickets for some other sessions are limited. Because two workshops occur at the same time on Oct. 22, participants must choose between the Rome mocktail program and the Utica home-sign program.
- Check the campus and room listed on the ticket.
- Review whether materials are included.
- Buy early for limited-capacity events.
- Allow extra time for parking and finding the room.
A creative fall across the Mohawk Valley
The MVCC fall workshops offer more than a finished bookmark, sign or card. They create easy points of connection between a public college and the community it serves.
Residents interested in attending should review the schedule, reserve a place and invite a friend. Affordable local programs become stronger when the community uses them.
